Rivera Saves WPA

I just figured something out. Saves are a weird stat. I say that because the top 10 save leaders in major league baseball are: Heath Bell (Padres) and Brian Wilson (Giants) with 28, Francisco Cordero (Reds), Joakim Soria (Royals), Neftali (cool name) Feliz (Rangers) with 27, Rafael Soriano (Rays) 25, Matt Capps (Nationals) 24, Leo Nunez (Marlins) 23, Billy Wagner (Braves), Kevin Gregg (Blue Jays), Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox), Matt Lindstrom (Astros) with 22. What’s weird about this? Well Mariano Rivera isn’t in the top 10. His 20 saves even puts him behind the Mets Francisco Rodriquez (who has 21 saves) for fourteenth place. (Actually Mariano is tied for fourteenth place with five other relievers.) Now that’s just wrong.  Read more... (387 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)